Pollution Linked to Alarming Health Risks for Women and Children

According to a new dashboard based on the 5th National Family Health Survey, air pollution in India is having a devastating impact on the health of women and children. The data, which covers 641 districts, shows clear links between PM2.5 pollution and a range of serious conditions, including hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), anemia, heart disease, and diabetes among women of reproductive age.

The findings also connect air pollution to anemia, low birth weight, and lower respiratory infections in children under five. Experts estimate that reducing PM2.5 levels could lead to significant improvements, with diabetes prevalence among women potentially dropping from 1.7% to 1.4% nationwide, and even larger declines of up to 25% in high-burden states. Hypertension and COPD rates are also projected to fall by 2-12% and 3-12% respectively, with the greatest benefits seen in northern and eastern regions.

Researchers emphasize that the central focus for air quality mitigation must be on public health. "Over the last 10 years, as air quality became more of a scientific issue and increasingly linked with climate change, it has somewhat moved away from its social dimension as a public health concern," said Aarti Khosla of Climate Trends. "That is why all the studies on epidemiological evidence and research conducted in India are so important for establishing clear links between air quality and public health."